I've been doing a lot of "loop booting" of Ubuntu isos.

This is done by d/l any of a number of OS iso image files and placing them in a directory called /boot-isos or /boot/boot-isos/ and then having the Suoer Grub2 disk detect them via a menu option. These iso images may then be booted without having to open up the iso and extract any files.

While the version of Super Grub2 disk that's already included works, the 2.00 beta 1 is less buggy.

Downside: to try to accommodate non-ascii letters, the authors added some code that makes the menu jump around and look butt ugly. It still works, but it's distracting.

To fix, you can hold down the [shift] key during boot. When this is done the disk works flawlessly. At least for what I'm doing, and on my hardware.

This release is dated July 4, 2012, so I don't know if progress is dead or just slow. Total size is under 7 MiB, so I don't know if both are feasible.

More details on "loop booting"

Could you give me an idea of the kinds of bug we are talking about in the current version?

Yes, but to verify, you'll need to do some work.

The included version of Super Grub2 disk has an earlier version of the "loop booting" code (as an aside, the code was written in lua, while the version in 2.00 beta is written in "grubscript", which is a language a lot like dumbed down "shell script")

• Take a USB stick or other mountable storage
• Create a directory on that USB stick called /boot-isos/ or /boot/boot-isos/
• Put two or more iso image files in that directory, At least one of them loop bootable (any recent Ubuntu flavor) and one that isn't (Fedora, etc)
• With the USB stick plugged in, boot UBCD (the USB stick must be plugged in when Super Grub2 Disk is booted, it won't detect it afterwords)
• Navigate to HDD :: Boot Management :: Super Grub2 Disk
• In Super Grub2, look for a menu item that says "loop booting" or something. Pick it.
• For every device (that was attached when Super Grub2 was booting), Super Grub2 will scan for the existence of the above two folders, and if it finds them it will create a menu item.
• bug: for every non-loop bootable image, there will be two menu entries, one an error message and one that indicates that the iso is bootable.

As an aside, this is a super easy way to boot experimental iso images. In fact, recent versions of Parted Magic are supposedly loop bootable, so this is a good way (if it works) to try out the bleeding edge of Parted Magic without going through the effort involved with remastering via the pm2ubcd script (which I haven't tried either)

Just tried it. Does not work for me. Failed loop booting the current Parted Magic beta using the Super Grub2 disk 2.00 beta. Bummer.

While you are discussing about Super Grub2 Disk, I want to inform you two that Parted Magic does include SG2D v2.00 beta.
In the Parted Magic menu, select "Extras Menu" -> "D. Super Grub2 Disk" and you can get the beta you want. (This means we have it in UBCD but not in the main part of UBCD)

Do you mean that when you are in an even number line it seems to be right but being in an odd number line (or viceversa) the menu jumps? I think I've seen similar but I thought it was something special about my PC. Please confirm.

And what you manage to do with that? The colour is no longer orange but blank and white? Or something else?

Thank you.

Can you explain a little more about this bug? Once you have the menu... What's the problem? Can you edit both menues (the right and wrong one) and identify what's different in both of them?

I don't have a clue of what might cause the double option you're describing yet.

Thank you.

Well, current code expects to find:

in the root of the iso.

And then uses these boot options:

.

Do you see anything different than these in your Parted Magic iso?

Anyways any live cd is advised to use an special loopback.cfg file as described in: Super Grub2 Disk Loopback.cfg wiki page.

This way SG2D always will know how to boot them.

Super Grub2 Disk 2.00 beta 3 is available

I think this release does not fix any of the bugs described here but you might be interested in testing it and reporting feedback now that I'm subscribed to this thread.

http://www.supergrubdisk.org/2013/05/02/super-grub2-disk-2-00-beta-3-released/

Changelog:

• Removed innecessary floppy seek
• Fixed berlios #18907 bug. Now both /boot-isos and /boot/boot-isos directories should work (instead of only /boot-isos).

adrian15

Short Off-Topic, FWIW...

PMagic boot codes:

OK I got it. md5sum = e81b06491e706666c48c5d17ba5c6a17

Please consider also releasing a SHA1 and SHA-256 in the future. While the MD5 is good to check if the disk is complete, it's no longer sufficent for use to detect deliberate tampering.

Great. Well since there is a beta3 I'll start a new thread (unless someone beats me to it.)

Boot menu display issues: I guess the best way to show you is to make a crappy gif and u/l it to imagurl or something.



Again, I think I need to make a gif or something. The color remains unless I use the other menu option.

Also, thank you for the great example of "grubscript" code. It's been maddening not being able to find any well commented code on the web to serve as an example. I have some ideas for SG2D and would like to contribute something back but I'm still trying to wrap my head around grub2.



Somewhere, I saw someone meantion that newer versions of Parted Magic came with a loopback.cfg. I have not confirmed this.

Mods: Please let us know if there is an issue with discussing bugs in SG2D here.

adrian15sgd: Please let me know if you would prefer feedback in another forum elsewhere.

The inital menu looks ok, but this is what happens when I hit the down arrow once.


This is after hitting "c" to get me to the grub> prompt, and typing "reboot". A top-half line of the same text appears above where it should have.



Since one of the features of GRUB2 is booting an image while simulating holding a keyboard button, I wonder if I can code a menu item to reload the main menu while "holding" the shift key?

Ok, I'll try not to forget it.


As you wish.


Ok. I saw your image in the new thread. I experienced the same issue.


I suppose you mean the wiki link. Actually I find myself difficult to find grubscript code outside SG2D.


Ok. I've downloaded a Parted Magic iso myself and I'll check that and the chntpw GTK gui. I have an equivalent one in Rescatux I think.


Just check links at http://www.supergrubdisk.org . For developing stuff I prefer mailing list but if you don't feel comfortable subscribing there you can also use the forum. And you can also find me at chat sometimes.

adrian15

It seems I'm quite active in SG2D development in the last days.

SG2D 2.00 beta 4 is available. More details at:
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/2013/05/04/super-grub2-disk-2-00-beta-4-released/
Changelog:

• (Devel) searchindevice function was improved by using brackets and making code more clear
• Make sure to remove console output when using gfxterm output. This should solve some strange problems when selecting various menus options from SG2D.
• Loopback detection now also detects: /bootisos, /boot/booisos, /BOOTISOS and /BOOTISOS directories so that FAT file name compatibility is assured
• (Devel) Changed ~ to - in version filename so that filenames can be uploaded ok to forges

Enjoy!

What I mean is that you should discuss about SG2D beta 4 inclusion and not beta 3 .

adrian15

I found the forum over at grubdisk.org and can move there (English, you don't want to read my Spanish) The only issue is security -- it takes time to get approved because of spammers. (My inactive UBCD wiki credentials were deleted at one point. Spammers suck.)

Haven't found the mailing list yet. Will look for that.